


Wicked Game

by bleustocking



Series: Boarding School Drama [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Boarding School, Caning, Consent Issues Treat, Crossdressing, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Love/Hate, M/M, Manipulation, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Physical Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements, Running Away, Theatre, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-11 19:32:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21456607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bleustocking/pseuds/bleustocking
Summary: Julian Hallow is an unrepentant trouble-maker at his public school of Chillingborough. His activities brings him into direct conflict with the cold and tyrannical Lewis, the head prefect of his House, the one person who never allows Julian to have his way with anything.But when the last straw breaks, Julian must confront the shadows of the past, as well as what pushed him -- and Lewis -- to the brink and beyond it.
Relationships: Boy's School Prefect/House Troublemaker, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: Boarding School Drama [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1838080
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33
Collections: Consent Issues Exchange 2019





	Wicked Game

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reine_des_corbeaux](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reine_des_corbeaux/gifts).

When Julian was set to return to Chillingborough, after Kendall’s expulsion, he knew that the entire school would hate him, and should hate him. He took pains to explain to his parents all of that during the summer, and ask if he couldn’t be sent elsewhere -- anywhere else. Another school, any other school. Perhaps he could go directly into the Army, like his Cousin Rupert and not bother with an education at all. He could be as ignorant as a pig, it didn’t matter to him. This he said in Cousin Rupert’s hearing and received a sound thrashing for — but it didn’t matter. All his pleadings were greeted with cold indifference, as always. 

Chillingborough was the very best school for the very best people, Julian’s father would always remind him. Why would he want to go elsewhere when he was still allowed to return there? Even after all the unpleasantness of the year before — after all the money their family had spent to make the scandal go away. 

Was Julian such a thoughtless little fool that all that meant _nothing_ to him? 

But they hate me here, he wanted to tell father, but already he saw his father’s eyes grow dull and bored even as Julian tried to get his words out. Julian was only the second son. Hardly worth the bother of listening to. It didn’t matter if they hated him at Chillingborough. They hated him at home as well. 

“You must _try_ to make them like you, Julian. You mustn’t be stubborn and disagreeable,” Mother said. She touched his hand briefly, before pulling away, afraid that he would contaminate her. “Do whatever you must. Your father said that one of the Prefects of your House has volunteered to watch over you especially. Isn’t that kind?” 

Julian frowned. There was nothing kind about Lewis’s offer. He was too old to fag for Lewis properly, being only in the form below his, but the fact that he was required to accept Lewis’s guidence, as a condition to return to school was — _awful_. Unnatural. Lewis only wanted to torture him for what happened last year. 

Kendall had been Lewis’s friend, after all, and his expulsion had been a slight against Lewis as well as the end to Kendall’s hopes of going to Cambridge. And Lewis never forgot a slight. He had a memory like an elephant, that one. 

He never forgot and never forgave. 

Seeing that there was nothing that he could do to avoid his fate, Julian sunk into a sullen depression for the rest of his summer holidays. He did not fight with his older brother or cousins, and when Cousin Rupert threatened to murder him for stealing his roadster and taking it for a joy ride, Julian accepted it in the friendly fashion in which it was offered, which offended his cousin further. 

He did not see his parents at all. 

Instead, he kept mostly to his rooms, writing, furiously writing. When it was time to return to Chillingborough, he went back with light steps, like a happy man to the gallows. 

*

Chillingborough was a grey place -- a grey manor, surrounded by grey fields, inhabited by grey-faced students. The moment Julian stepped on the grounds, he felt himself turning grey. He hated it, but it couldn’t be helped. That was what this place did to people. Life fled from it, though he did not know what could replace it. 

*

Unlike some, Lewis was not a boy of disgusting habits. He kept his quarters clean and habitable, which gave Julian even less to do when it came to fag to for him. He would report to Lewis’s quarters after classes and try to do his own schoolwork, waiting for the head prefect to return from his prefectly duties. 

Sadly, Julian was a complete dunce when it came to his work. He knew he wasn’t stupid — at least, he didn’t feel as through he was. It was merely that every time he tried to concentrate on his work, the numbers would squirm away from him, and he would chase after. 

He could argue against anything, in speech, though that often got him in more trouble, but when it came to writing his thoughts down, he would tire of it within two or three minutes.

Latin was absolutely hopeless. He set it aside roughly and decided he would rather see what Lewis kept hidden in his room.

All the obvious places were disappointingly empty: under the mattress resulted in nothing but a dusty stocking, and the uncertain panel behind the writing desk removed to find an extra inkwell. 

Julian sighed in disgust. Lewis knew exactly what he would look for and of course he wouldn’t have left anything salacious to entertain him.

“Stupid!” Julian said, kicking at the leg of the bed. Something rattled loose and dropped. He knelt down and picked it up. It was a cane — a perfectly ordinary one, used to beat students at Chillingborough everyday. Why on Earth had Lewis tried to hide it?

“What are you skulking for, Hallow?”

Lewis was eighteen and slim, with wavy blond hair, green eyes, and an expression of permanent disdain on his face. He was exceptionally handsome, Julian thought, but only if you didn’t know him.

Mother would say Lewis had an untouched heart. But she was an incurable romantic. Julian rather thought Lewis was cruel looking, no matter how perfectly set his features were. 

“Awfully sorry, Lewis. There was an earthquake and this fell out of your bed.” Julian held up the cane. “Is one of the masters looking for it?”

“Hardly. I’m afforded my own. If you wish to continue questioning me about it, I may be able to demonstrate on you.”

“No,” Julian said sharply. “That’s all right with me. I’ll be good.”

Lewis looked at him doubtfully. “If you’re certain. Let’s look at your work.” 

Julian sighed and tried to hide his dread. He failed, utterly. 

*

Julian _was_ a troublemaker. He couldn’t help it. Trouble always followed him like a faithful dog. It didn’t help that he was also the sort of boy who attracted attention wherever he went. He sincerely wished he was like his roommate, Smith, who was content to merely exist in the background of life’s rich drama and never fight anyone for his right to merely exist. Smith had no quarrel with his fellow man and they had none with him.

It wasn’t that he didn’t receive his own punishments, of course. Everyone did. The boys would dunk Smith’s head in the lave for the fun of it, years ago, though not much now. 

For Julian, however, the torment didn’t stop. He always struggled. It didn’t help that he was so very beautiful. He wished — really he did — he could say that he was plain. He longed to be plain.

If not that, he would accept being handsome and that would be all. But no, he was beautiful. This was factual. His face was shaped in a way that was designed for beauty. His eyes — cornflower blue — his mouth — like a newly opened rose bud — his hair — a dark sweep of curls — were all designed to breed resentment or lust or both.

Julian considered himself the most unlucky boy in the world. 

He thought if Lewis would just be his lover and treat him well, everyone else would stop plaguing him. He wouldn’t have to be dragged to the constant drama of school life at all! Half of what got him labeled as a trouble-maker was just disappointed hopes of some ugly boy that Julian had never considered anyway.

The other half was Julian’s own imprudent tongue, which he knew Lewis couldn’t solve. 

Lewis wasn’t the richest boy, nor was he the one with the bluest of blood. But everyone knew that if the world was fair, he would outrank both — he was both intelligent and dedicated enough to do it. But the world was manifestly unfair, so that was that.

Personally, Julian thought Lewis was more vicious and inflexible because his position was actually so precarious, but perhaps he was just being unfair.

As for Julian himself — well, his family was rich, but they came from trade and were still currently in it. If Julian wasn’t so manifestly unsuited for matters of business, he would have been trained from an early age as to how to run his father’s breweries, as his brothers had been. Perhaps that would’ve have been better for him. He would have known better where he belonged, and how to stand up for himself. 

But he did not and he could not. As it stood now, the hope was that Julian would be able to charm an heiress into marrying him. 

“If they wanted me to do that, why did they send me to place that no girl has ever been,” Julian muttered to himself.

“Hallow, there you are,” said Lewis, letting himself into Julian’s room. He sighed at the mess. Julian didn’t bother lying and saying it was mostly Smith’s doing. “You’re wanted in the auditorium. Phillips has broken his ankle. You’re to be Desdemona.” 

“I am?” Julian said, outraged. “But I’ve never tried for the role!” 

“What does it matter? Didn’t you play Ophelia last year?” 

“Yes, but that was with --” Kendall, he almost said the forbidden name. Kendall had played Laertes, and Julian had flirted with him outrageously, to the point where Mattock, who had played the Dane, had complained that Polonius ought to direct his terrible advice to his children instead. 

“Stop looking at me in such a stupid way,” Lewis snapped, grabbing his hand and pulling him up from the bed. “The fitting’s today. You’re bigger than Phillips is, so if there’s to be any adjustments, it’ll have to happen now.” 

“I still haven’t said I’ll do it,” Julian protested. “I don’t like playing the girl’s role.” 

“Do you think you have a choice?” Lewis said. His tone betrayed something akin to genuine surprise. He let go of Julian’s hand and rubbed his palm flat against his blazer. Julian ignored the sting of rejection he felt and hurried on ahead. Lewis’s legs were longer than his and the head prefect always walked as if he was striding on to some exalted plane, leaving mere mortals behind. Julian hated it. Hated him. 

The backstage was all-buzz when Lewis and Julian arrived there and Desdemona’s costume was shoved into Julian’s arms before he could even speak. “Go change and we’ll see what we can do,” said Sefton, the stage manager. He was a short boy with thin, trembling hands. He looked quickly at Lewis for approval, but Lewis’s attention was focused on Julian.

“He can change here. What’s there to hide?” Lewis said impatiently. “We don’t have much time.”

A small crowd had gathered around them by this point of interested onlookers. Julian wanted to protest, but knew if he did so that he would merely bring more attention on himself. That was what Lewis wanted. Instead, he tried to change as quickly as possible, but as soon as he pulled the dress over his head someone pitched him to the ground with a laugh.

“Stop that,” said a voice that could only be Lewis’s. “If you tear that costume, you’ll have to pay for it.” 

Someone took pity on Julian’s struggles to right himself, and helped pick him up. Soon he found himself surrounded by a tight knot of boys. “The belle of the ball,” someone said, placing a rough kiss on Julian’s cheek. Someone else, less polite, pinched his bottom. 

“He’ll do, indeed,” said another.

Rather faintly, Julian thought they were no longer talking about Desdemona, if they had ever been.

“Yes,” Lewis said, snatching him from the crowd. “Then it’s agreed that Hallow’s to be Desdemona, barring Phillips’ return? Good. Sefton, see to it that he actually shows up to rehearsals.”

“Er, Lewis, sir. Who’s my husband, I mean, Othello?”

“I am.”

“Damn.”

“Language, Hallow.”

*

The play was a misery, especially during rehearsals. No one would give Julian a blessed moment of relief or sympathy. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore. One day, he received a letter he was waiting for and enacted a scheme he had been planning for a long time.

There was a telephone in the headmaster’s office, and Julian knew that the office was empty at noon for fifteen minutes every day when the headmaster would soak his feet and take his luncheon with his wife in the headmaster’s rooms. 

Julian was delighted to see that the door was unlocked — he didn’t even need the lockpick that he’d taken from one of his cousins — and immediately took to the telephone. He dialed the number that he’d been given and waited for the operator to connect him to the number, and then for someone to pick up at the other end itself. 

After all that nonsense, the telephone rang and rang. Julian was in agonies. Had he taken such risks only not to speak to Kendall at all? Or even to leave a message for him? He had thought all his affecting letters throughout the summer and fall to Kendall’s friends had yielded him some measure of reliable information.

Finally, someone did pick up the telephone. “Hello? This is James Kendall. What can I do for you?”

“Hello, Kendall! This is Julian Hallow! Do you remember me?”

Kendall never suffered fools. “Hallow,” he said annoyed, “if you risked life and limb to ask idiotic questions, then I’m going to hang up.” 

“No, don’t. It was just a joke. You are still my friend, aren’t you? Despite what happened. I did try to tell them the truth. No one believed me, it was my word against theirs.” 

“I don’t.” Kendall sighed. “I don’t blame you. You were the scapegoat and so was I. I hope you’re doing well, at least.” 

“No, I’m not — they’re so awful to me. Lewis despises me more than ever. But more than that — why haven’t you answered my letters? Haven’t you received them?”

“Julian,” Kendall said, his tone more gentle than before. “I have gotten your letters but I haven’t had time to write back. I don’t think we should write back and forth just now, it wouldn’t be wise for either of us. I think you should be more careful from now on, especially around Lewis. You said he was my friend, but he wasn’t, not quite. He isn’t— well.” 

“He hates me. Do you know they’ve got me fagging for him? It’s humiliating. I’m too old for it. But enough about stupid old Lewis. I want to see you. May I come see you over Christmas holidays?”

“No, it’s not possible,” Kendall said. “Look, Julian, I’ve got to go back to work — I’m building sets today.”

“I can pay my own way, I assure you!” 

“I’m sure you could, but nonetheless…”

“Kendall, please…”

“Julian, listen,” Kendall sounded serious now. “Whatever happens, know that I am your friend.”

“And if I called for you, would you help me?”

“Julian …”

There was a crash from the door. Julian looked up and saw Lewis looking coldly at him. “You are out of bounds, Hallow.”

“Julian, what’s going on?”

The line went dead in Julian’s hands. He knew, at that moment, that he was in the gravest danger he’d ever been in his life. And this time, there would be no Kendall to save him from himself. 

*

Julian moved like he was in a fog. He had never been in such terrible trouble in his whole life. Not when he regularly missed his Latin lessons for a month, not when he left school grounds entirely and spent a weekend in the city. Then, he had pretended that his grandmother had died and his mother had backed up on the lie. But now Lewis had caught him in his infraction. And Lewis would never let him go. 

This would be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Lewis looked perfectly blank as he assessed the situation. Julian was told sharply to go the prefect’s study to await his punishment. The school seemed empty as he walked down the dimly lit halls, his footsteps echoing sharply down the polished floors.

It was the end of the world.

He waited. It seemed like forever, as he waited. He paced back and forth in front of the fireplace. Would he be expelled at last? Would that be so bad? Perhaps he could be sent to some experimental school to finish up his time and be done with it. 

If he was in town, he could see Kendall more easily… 

The door opened and Lewis came in. “Hallow, I’ve explained the situation to the headmaster and he is pondering your ultimate fate. Your time at this school has been marked with disgrace, stupidity and a callous disregard for the rules. It is a real possibility that you will be expelled. Your parents’ intervention will not help this time.” 

“Lewis, may I speak?” 

“You may.” 

“You’ve always envied Kendall and me, and I’ve never understood why. It isn’t as if I rejected you and pursued him. You’ve never even liked me.” 

“It isn’t about me not liking you, you stupid little boy,” Lewis said, his face twisted for a moment. He seemed disgusted with the notion of it, even. But then his face smoothed over, his momentary lapse forgotten. “Now, turn down your trousers and lean against the desk. You’re to receive fifteen stripes to begin with.” 

Julian felt a line of sweat begin to form on his forehead. “Can’t someone else do it? Another prefect? A master? Anyway, I’m too old to be caned.” 

“You’re still a student here, until you’re expelled,” Lewis said. “And you’re a part of my House, and it is a part of my responsibility to discipline you. If you argue further, I will add five more stripes to your punishment. Would you like that?” 

“No,” Julian said. “I wouldn’t. Sir.” 

Julian had been caned before, but he had always kept his trousers on before, and it had always gone without saying that he could hide a slim notebook under his trouser to absorb some of the blows. And he had never taken more than five blows at a time. 

Lewis took out his cane and inspected and found it satisfactory. He indicated that Julian should take the position. Julian did so reluctantly, staring out the window. 

“Count it out,” Lewis instructed him. 

Outside, the fog was so thick that he could see nothing but his own reflection thrown back at him, his wide terrified eyes. And then, Lewis -- who smiled at him, as he brought the cane down hard against the soft, unprotected flesh of Julian’s arse. 

“One,” Julian said. 

Lewis waited for a beat before he hit him again. 

“Two.” 

Another. 

“Three.” 

Again and again. 

Julian didn’t lose count, but his hand slipped on this desk on the tenth blow and he fell, face first against the desk. Lewis grabbed him by the shoulder and jerked him up. “You’ve always thought you’d be all right, didn’t you, Hallow? No matter what you do. Your parents would protect you, your money.” 

His hand grasped roughly against Julian’s crotch, and he pulled out Julian’s cock. 

“No,” Julian gasped out. “I’m not that way, sir.” 

Lewis pushed him back down. “Count it out.” 

“Ten! We were on ten.” 

Lewis hit him again, harder than before. Julian’s entire backside felt as if it was on fire, but the feeling had spread to his front as well. 

“Eleven,” Julian gasped. 

“Did you think that Kendall would swoop in and rescue you? From what? He has no money and resources. When you pulled that imbecilic scheme last year, no one was punished except him. We run a clean school here, you know. The only way to show it is to expel that poor bastard from our midst.” 

He hit Julian again. 

“Twelve. It wasn’t my fault. The others were out too. They closed the gate behind them so I couldn’t get in. _Please, _Lewis.” 

“You should have tried harder, if you_ loved _him so.” Lewis hit him again. But this time, Julian felt Lewis’ cock pressed up against his own aching flesh. _No. _

“Do you love him?” 

“You and your stupid questions, Hallow. I’m so tired of them.” Lewis hit him again and Julian knew he was bleeding. He must be. Why was no one coming for him? He was certainly making enough noise. 

Everyone had closed their doors -- their eyes, their hearts to him. He was utterly alone. 

“Lewis,” Julian said, “let me go-- please.” 

“No,” Lewis said shortly. “You won’t wriggle out of this, Hallow. Count. It. Out.” 

He hit him in quick succession, but Julian counted it out hurriedly. “Thirteen, fourteen. _Fifteen!_” He wanted to collapse on the floor, but Lewis dropped the cane and pressed against him, kissing the back of his neck. Lewis shoved his fingers into Julian’s mouth. 

“Suck,” Lewis instructed him. “If you want an easier time of it, that is.” 

Julian sucked at them desperately. He did not want to think of what was coming next, what Lewis was going to do to him. Truly, he had never known the depths of Lewis’ hatred for him until now. He had thought -- he didn’t know what he thought. Something stupid and illustionary, certainly. Foolish notions. 

Lewis withdrew his hand and pushed Julian so he was pressed flat against the desk, with his arse out. Then, Lewis left for a moment and Julian thought of running. But where would he go? And in such indecent condition? Ironies of ironies, they would catch him and bring him back to Lewis for further punishment. 

The smell of hair pomade filled the air -- faintly violet and sweet. Lewis had taken a glob of it and smeared it on the rim of Julian’s arse, letting the heat of his body melt it before spreading it further inside. 

When he felt Lewis’ cock pressing against his hole, Julian felt stiff and unbelieving. Lewis was truly going to do it. It was truly going to happen to him. Even with all his flirtations with Kendall, they had never -- they had only kissed once, shyly touching each other over their clothes, before Kendall was expelled. In most things, Julian was an innocent. 

Begging would satisfy Lewis. Julian said nothing, as Lewis pressed into him. It hurt. Lewis had not prepared him enough -- barely at all. Through the haze of pain, Julian wondered if Lewis had done this before himself, or if he had gone mad with anger and was doing this -- for what?

It hurt. It hurt. _It hurt. _

Lewis began to find a pattern to his thrusts and palmed at Julian’s cock, which rose traitor-like, against Lewis’ hand. Julian bit his lip, trying not to cry out, but Lewis chuckled, understanding his struggle. 

“You’re such a sweet little virgin, Hallow,” Lewis muttered in his ear. “Truly, you lived up to your name. Kendall must be kicking himself now, for missing out.” He thrust hard into Julian and hit something -- for a moment, pleasure ruled pain. Then, Lewis did it again and Julian groaned, his body betraying him. He wanted that that stupid, horrible feeling again, that silver of a good feeling in the middle of this dark wilderness. 

“Lewis --” Julian said, gasping. If he _pretended_ to enjoy it, if he flattered Lewis -- would he be gentler? A little kinder? It was so stupid a thought that Julian had to try it. 

“What is it?” Lewis said, slowing his pace and flipping him over to hear him better. 

Julian arched upward, nearly delirious with pain. 

“Fuck me,” he said. “You know Kendall never did.”

“You little slut,” Lewis said, with a radiant smile. It was only the second time ever Julian had seen him with a smile on his face. He looked rather wonderful, but also completely deranged. It was understandable why he chose not to smile more often. “I knew you were no better than this.”

“You’re right, sir,” Julian said. He pushed the hair that had fallen on his face and tried to get up, but Lewis pushed him down again. He grabbed Julian’s chin and kissed him hard, biting down on the soft part of Julian’s lower lip, leaving behind a bright thread of blood behind. 

When Julian pulled way, wiping away the blood, Lewis looked at him with hooded eyes. He let Julian go and said, “Get down on your knees, Hallow.” 

He fell on the ground and thought about staying there for the duration, but that couldn’t be -- he wouldn’t be allowed to do. He was pulled and prodded until he was kneeling. When Lewis drummed his fingers against Julian’s cheek, he wimpered and let Lewis finish on his face. 

Afterwards, the silence stretched out, long and strained. Lewis tucked his cock back into his trousers and fixed his hair but when Julian tried to rise again, he made a displeased noise. 

“What have you learned from this experience, Hallow?” 

“What -- what should have I learned, sir?” 

Lewis leaned down, so their faces almost touched. “Obedience and fear.” Then he pulled away in disgust. “You should go and change. You look a sight. The headmaster will want to see you, whatever will happen with you.” 

“All right.” Julian stood up, using the desk as his anchor. His body felt like had been slammed against a brick wall. He ached in a dozen places, in strange and horrible ways. He dressed with shaking fingers and tried to clean himself up the best he could. “Thank you for the lesson, sir.” 

Lewis waved him away, disinterested in what he had to say. 

If no one had been there when he had gone to Lewis’ room, they were all there when he returned. Julian ignored all of their questions and their shouted taunts. There was nothing he could do about either. He did not go directly to his room, rather, he went to the showers to get clean. The water was never, ever warm there, but that was all right. Some boy had foolishly left his kit out and Julian took it without a single shred of guilt. 

When he finally returned to the room he shared with Smith, he found his roommate at his desk, trying to work. “The entire school’s out for your blood, Hallow. What did you do?” 

“I’m leaving here,” Julian replied, crouching down to retrieve his suitcase. “If you find something of mine, could you send it on to my parents’ address?” 

“All right, but what is going on?” 

“I couldn’t -- I can’t say,” Julian replied. He threw his suitcase open on to his bed and began to throw everything he could reach into it. 

“But how are you going to _leave_, Hallow?” Smith asked him doubtfully. 

“I don’t know!” Julian replied, slamming the suitcase closed, even though it was only half filled. 

“Why don’t you just -- go to bed,” Smith said hurriedly, closing the lamp before Julian could protest. “I’ll sleep in Mattock’s room tonight, you needn’t worry about it.” 

Of course, Julian couldn’t sleep. He listened for every noise, every little sound, thinking that Lewis might come back for him. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. He had to get away. Was he supposed to wait until they expelled him? 

Eventually, he woke to the sound of an automobile roaring down the road outside his window. For a moment, he was confused before he realized he recognized that noise anywhere. He dressed quickly and grabbed his suitcase and ran out of the door. 

Kendall was waiting at the bottom of the stairs outside. He was arguing with Lewis about whether Cousin Rupert’s roadster was allowed to be parked in front of the school, but Julian barreled past both of them. Kendall’s brown eyes widened at the marks at Julian’s face. He wasn’t even wearing a hat -- the wind whipped at his black hair. 

“I can’t believe my cousin would let you borrow his car,” Julian said, opening the boot to put his suitcase in. 

“He almost didn’t -- it was only through your mother’s intervention that he agreed. I had to beg for it -- all of it. She insisted we drive down together. He’s waiting at the station. This is a very impractical car, you know.” 

Kendall bit the bottom of his lip. He obviously wanted to say something but Julian shook his head slightly. 

“But it’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Julian ran his hand across the sleek, cream-colored curves. He had always admired his cousin’s roadster and had always taken it for a ride whenever he could, much to Cousin Rupert’s displeasure. But this time, it was the unlikely vehicle of his rescue. 

He frowned as he noticed a slight scratch on the paint, near the door handle. Well, nothing was perfect, was it? He got into the passenger seat and closed the door. It looked like it was going to rain today -- speaking of imperfections. 

“I wanted to come faster,” Kendall was telling him as he climbed into the driver’s seat. “Julian, what happened to your face?” 

Julian winced as he tried to get comfortable in his seat. He couldn’t be, of course. He still ached all over. He wondered if he would ever -- heal. 

“Hallow, reconsider,” Lewis said, at last. It was jarring to hear his voice again. Both Julian and Kendall fell silent, looking at him. “If you leave now, you’re forfeiting your entire future.” 

Lewis had his arms crossed over his chest. His face was carefully blank, but there was faint tremor that ran through his body that made Julian smile. 

“I haven’t a future, sir,” Julian assured him. “But I hope you do. And in that future, I hope you don’t have to force the next boy you fuck.” 

Kendall pulled away from the kerb with shouted oath. They drove out of Chillingborough like they were being pursued by hellhounds, but there was nothing following them at all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Chris Isaak, but especially the last lyric, guys. 
> 
> [Check out some hot cars of the 1930's](https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/most-beautiful-cars-of-the-1930s/) for your viewing pleasure. 
> 
> I realize that the obvious backstory between Kendall & Lewis would work pretty well for the **Entitled Schoolboy xcons Male Scholarship Student**. I mean, Kendall figures it out pretty quick what's going to happen to Julian, otherwise. [**Edit:** 11/29/2019: And now it exists!]
> 
> Chillingborough is borrowed from _The Jewel in the Crown_, although the blond rapist who loves to cane innocent woobies in _that_ emphatically did not go to a fancy private school -- he was a grammar school boy. (He says this a million times, he has a complex about this.) 
> 
> The complete lack of adults is borrowed from Peanuts. 
> 
> All resemblances to Mary Renault's _The Charioteer_ is ...


End file.
